Dazed and Confused

“And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2Tim 2:26).

Imagine a human zoo. A place where people who have been captured are kept alive. If that’s not bad enough, they happily do everything they’re told by their captor. The reason they are compliant is because they are under the influence. Roofied. Dazed and confused. If there was just some way to sober them up and they could escape.

Sounds like something Rod Serling cooked up for an episode of “The Twilight Zone”? Possibly. But I’ll bet you didn’t expect this to be a scene found in the Bible. That’s exactly the picture Paul paints in his second letter to his protege Timothy.

The apostle desperately wants the young pastor to treat any apparent opposition very gently. They’re not so much enemies but prisoners of THE Enemy. Handle them with care “and they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (v26).

They’re so wasted they don’t have a clue what’s really going on. Satan has slipped something in their drink and taken them alive. Paul insists we must not attempt to sober them up by pounding them with a ten-pound Bible. You can’t argue them into sobriety and salvation. It just won’t work. They’ve been roofied. They’re dazed and confused.

The apostle knows all about being taken alive as a prisoner. It’s his current reality. You can almost hear heavy chains rattle as he writes from Death Row in Caesar’s Supermax (2Tim 1:16; 2:9; 4:6-7). In this final letter of his life, Paul pleads with Tim to get his tail to Rome for one last visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). But more importantly, he furiously writes down his final instructions as he passes the torch of ministry to his spiritual son (2Tim 2:1-4:5).

Paul knows full well that a big part of any pastor’s time is devoted to dealing with problems caused by opponents. Specifically, problems caused by opponents WITHIN the church. Criticism from outside God’s kingdom is understandable. I get that. What drives me nuts are the attacks from folks we thought were wearing Team Jesus jerseys. But it turns out that many of them are nothing than false teachers who have weaseled their way inside to sabotage the Gospel of grace.

The apostle has dealt with this sort of nonsense before. It seems everywhere folks hear about Jesus, a team of spiritual hucksters is not far behind. They twist and contort Christ’s message into unbearable self-salvation of relentless rule-following. Paul fires off letter after letter to set churches straight. To the multisite church of Galatia. To his friends in Ephesus. To Christ followers in Colossae. To Timothy, not once but twice.

Here in verse 26, “they” are the same “opponents” we’re told to gently correct in verse 25. This is with hope that they will “come to their senses” (v26). This four words are actually just one (Gr. ανανηψω/ananespho) in the original language. And it’s the one and only time you’ll find it in Scripture. It’s a compound term which literally means “in the middle of (ανα-/ana-) sobriety (-νηψω/-nespho).”

Paul describes these folks as currently in the middle of a mind-bending buzz. They don’t realize it in their current altered state but they desperately need to snap out of it. They need to sober up. You’ve probably seen them walking around like mindless zombies totally zoned out to the world around them. No, they’re not playing Pokemon Go. It’s even worse than that! They’re under the influence. A very evil influence.

Take one guess who’s behind this diabolical plan. And no, the answer isn’t found in the latest political attack ad. It’s not just any enemy. It’s THE Enemy. “The devil” (v26). We’re talking Satan himself. You may have heard of him. The satanic snake who duped our first parents (Gen 3:1-7). “The evil one” (Mt 13:38). “The great dragon” (Rev 12:9). “Prince of demons” (Mt 12:24; Lk 11:15). “Accuser of our brothers” (Rev 12:10). “Ruler of this world” (Jn 14:30; 16:11).

Yeah, THAT devil. He’s very real and a very real threat. But we tend to make two mistakes when it comes to Satan. On one hand, we see him as a stupid little man in red suit with horns and a pitchfork. More of a bad Halloween costume than evil personified. On the other hand, some of us give him WAY too much credit, as if he’s God’s evil twin. The dude may be dangerous, but he’s NOT equal to God. Not even close. That’s why the devil has to get permission from the Almighty before tormenting Job (Job 1:12).

The most important fact to remember about Satan is that may be threat but he’s already a loser. We’re talking one with a capital L. God the Father called His Son’s head crushing shot back in Eden (Gen 3:15). Jesus personally stared the devil down in the desert (Mt 4:1-7; Mk 1:12-13; Lk 4:1-13). Christ made healing folks tormented by Satan a top priority during His earthly ministry (Lk 13:16; Acts 10:38). The Son of God punched both the devil and death in the face on the cross (Heb 2:14-15).

But that’s nothing compared to Jesus’ ultimate and inevitable victory on our behalf that’s the last game on the schedule (Rev 20:1-3; 7-10). It will be like the greatest homecoming beatdown in history. No mercy rule in this one. The Lion of Judah will run up the score big time. Good night. Game over. Drive home safely. Jesus defeats Satan so we don’t have to.

That’s why the apostle tells Tim that the evil one’s captives have a chance to “escape from the snare of the devil” (v26) if they wake up and smell the coffee. Paul uses the word “snare” (Gr. παγις/pagis) to clue us in on how captures his victims. The Greek term describes anything that catches and holds tightly, such as a trap, noose, or net. It’s a hidden or unseen danger which happens suddenly. A snare deploys in an instant and you never saw it coming. Ancient writers used it to describe the sneak attack of the Trojan Horse.

It should come as a shock to no one that Satan is a liar and trying to trick us into his trap. While Jesus’ mission was to give us an overflowing life of goodness and grace, the devil’s goal is death and destruction (Jn 10:10). Our enemy looks for ways to tempt us with shiny things we want instead of beautiful things we need. Satan doesn’t so much jump us from behind and kidnap us. We like what he dangles in front of us. We jump willingly.

Satan will even bait the hook with good stuff. He’ll lure us with family, children, career, comfort, and control. He’ll even use ministry, worthy causes, and even serving in the church. The devil knows that the good is the enemy of the best. He’ll use anything and everything to fool us from a relationship with Jesus. Remember the words of the legendary Admiral Ackbar. “It’s a trap!” 

Once Satan gets his demonic mitts on you, he’ll do want he wants with you. Paul describes a grim scene: “after being captured by him to do his will” (v26). The apostle uses language here that paints the picture of prisoners being taken alive. “Captured”  (Gr. ζωγρεω/zogreo) is like when a game fish or animal that’s caught and kept alive instead of killed. It’s a compound word that literally means “live (ζω-/zo-) hunting (-γρεω/-greo).”

That’s because our enemy knows that death has nothing to do with the graveyard. Real death is separation from God. Without Jesus, we’re the walking dead. That’s exactly how Paul describes us. Dead men walking, “following the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:1-2). Picture that scene in “The Matrix” when Neo comes to his senses. After yanking the cable out of the back of his noggin, he realizes people are being used as nothing more than batteries.

That was pretty much our predicament before Jesus came to our rescue. But there are more out there still under the influence and held in the devil’s human zoo. They need to set free. And that’s the mission God has given each and every one of Christ’s followers. We’re to do everything possible to help folks “come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil” (v26). 

The great news about spreading God’s Good News is that He’s ultimately behind it all. His Holy Spirit is at work as well. While we can’t make anybody a believer, God can. Our role is simply to keep pointing people to Jesus (Mt 28:19-20). Spreading His Gospel. Sharing His love. We must never forget that our Savior died for every single person we see. But so many are dazed and confused. They need a wakeup call. An intervention of grace. I know I sure did.

Mission Critical

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2Tim 2:3-4).

One of the iconic scenes from movies comes near the end of “Saving Private Ryan.” (I’m NOT wasting my time with a “spoiler alert!” This flick came out in 1998. If you haven’t seen Spielberg’s classic by now, this one’s on you. I’m sure it’s on a cable channel near you this weekend.)

The flick takes place in the days following the Normandy Invasion. Tom Hanks’ character Captain John Miller leads a unit with a singular mission. They must rescue Private James Ryan, played by Matt Damon, whose three brothers all died on D-Day. Once they find Ryan, Miller’s boys are in the fight of their lives in the French village of Ramelle when enemy tanks roll into town. 

In the climactic scene, Miller has taken a Nazi bullet and is dying on a bridge in a small French town. Having rescued Ryan, he musters every ounce of strength to whisper in his ear, “Earn this.” The captain desperately wants to pass along one final command to this grunt before he dies.

(Before we go any further, I have to say too many pastors and writers have totally abused and misused this scene to manipulate people into committing their lives to Jesus or simply signing up to volunteer in the parking lot. WRONG! This is absolutely NOT Christ’s message from the cross. We CANNOT earn this! The Lord did for us what we could NEVER do for ourselves. Instead of buying us a ticket for a massive guilt trip, our Savior frees us from our sin and rebellion to live a life of freedom and worship. Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.)

But there is a comparison to Miller’s final words to Ryan and Paul’s instructions to Timothy here in 2 Timothy 2:3-4. Like the captain, the apostle is at death’s door (2Tim 4:6-7). Not so much in the battlefield but a Roman prison (2Tim 1:8, 16). In essence, Paul’s a POW. He pleads with Tim to come see him before it’s too late (2Tim 9, 21). Just in case the young pastor can’t get there in time, he receives orders from his CO on how to proceed in the war. 

Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical.

Here in the second chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul paints the first of three pictures for his friend. Analogy number one is a soldier (v3-4). Number two is an athlete (2Tim 2:5). Last but not least is a hard-working farmer (2Tim 2:6). Each illustration gives us a better understanding of what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. In the battlefield. In the playing field. In the farm field.  

The apostle reminds us that as a disciples we don’t fight alone. We’re to “share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (v3). We’re not Rambo. We’re not some rogue Delta Force commando who’s gone reckless and disregards orders. We’re supernaturally connected to others, especially when it comes to affliction. The apostle uses a Greek term that means to undergo affliction along with someone else:  sugkakopatheo. Doesn’t exactly roll right off your tongue, does it? 

When you pull it apart, it’s actually a compound word. “Together (sug-) harmed (-kako-) by suffering (-patheo).” Try as you might, you’ll only find this word twice in the entire Bible. And both of them are right here in Paul’s last letter. Earlier, he told Tim that there’s absolutely no reason to be embarrassed about being associated with either the message of Jesus or his mentor’s time behind bars. Instead “share in the suffering (Gr. sugkakopatheo) for the Gospel by the power of God” (2Tim 1:8).

What Paul wants Tim and anybody else who reads this letter to know is that we’re not alone when it comes to pain. We’re going to experience the same type of suffering as others do. We don’t have to suffer alone. Like soldiers fighting together in a squad, when one is wounded, everyone is wounded. We’ve always got each other’s backs…ESPECIALLY when a member of our unit takes a bullet on the battlefield. 

I gotta be honest. I’m not all that excited about the idea of any kind of suffering. Neither is Paul or Tim. But it’s great to know we never hurt alone. The apostle tells the folks in Rome that we should never let fellow believers cry alone (Rom 12:15). When one member of our church suffers, we all suffer (1Cor 12:26). And when God gives us the strength to stand in the baddest storms, He then puts us in the position of walking with others when pain makes landfall in their lives (2Cor 1:4).

There’s more to it than that. A LOT more! We also share in the suffering of our Savior. In a letter to his friends in Philippi, he comes clean about how he made a mess of his own life by trying to pile up credentials for his religious resume in order to impress God (Phil 3:4-6). Once he came face-to-face with his resurrected Savior, Paul realized that knowing Jesus personally and intimately was the only thing that matters. He made it a top priority to get to know Him, understand the power of His resurrection, and in some way “share in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death” (Phil 3:10). 

But because Jesus took the full brunt of God’s fury for our sin, we don’t have to. There’s a word folks at seminaries throw around for that. Propitiation. It means to satisfy or soothe. On that Roman cross, Christ was on the receiving end of every ounce of His Father’s wrath. As a matter of fact, His Dad put His Son “forward as a propitiation by His blood” for you and me (Rom 3:25). Jesus played the role of both priest and sacrifice “to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Heb 2:17). “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1Jn 2:2). 

That’s the picture of Captain Miller and his unit putting their lives on the line so that Ryan could survive. That’s what Jesus did for us. Think of a fellow G.I. diving on a grenade so his buddies could live. Better yet, throwing Himself on a multimegaton nuke to save us all.

As his commanding officer, Paul orders Timothy that this is what he’s to do “as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (v3). The apostle uses military lingo at this point. Let’s face it, folks in the service have an entirely different lingo. It’s shall we say, “colorful.” Here we see the word “soldier,” or in the original language stratiotes. This term describes foot soldier, or member of the infantry. 

We’re not talking about brass here. No bird colonels. You won’t find Tim as at the officer’s club. This is a grunt. An enlisted soldier. We don’t have to worry about who’s giving the orders. We’re not under some brutal and abusive drill sergeant. We’re all under the authority of the Ultimate Commander-in-Chief Christ Jesus. Our General has not only been through the battle for us, He goes into battle with us. Hoohah!

A lot of folks get all worked up by this whole “Onward Christian Soldiers” deal. I get it. Plenty of goofballs have taken it WAY too far. But it’s a go-to metaphor in God’s Word for our war against the evil in the world, the sin in our heart, and Satan himself. Here in his two letters to Tim, Paul encourages the young preacher to “wage the good warfare” (1Tim 1:18).The apostle looks back on the battlefield with satisfaction. He has “fought the good fight” (2Tim 4:7) and wants his friend to do the same (1Tim 6:12).

We see military talk in both letters to the Corinthians (1Cor 9:7; 2Cor 10:3-5). Paul refers to his buddy Epaphroditus a “fellow soldier” (Phil 2:25). In a quick note to Philemon, the apostle describes their mutual friend Archippus the very same way (Phm 2). God gives each one of us His spiritual body armor to put on each day (Eph 6:10-20). Here’s the deal. War is terrible. We should ALL hate it. But we are in a fight with the ultimate evil. And I’m NOT talking about ISIS.

Paul tells Timothy to stay focused. “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits” (v4). The apostle uses a word here (Gr. emplekomai) that means to be mixed up in something, or to be involved to the point where you experience severe restrictions as to what you can do. It literally means to weave together, braid, or intertwine. In other words, we must not get too tangled up in stuff that doesn’t matter that it distracts us from our goal. 

Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical. 

Just as a soldier can’t get hung up in the weeds of civilian life, we need to be careful as well. My career is important and certainly a gift from God but have I made it an idol? Am I shining God’s light in the workplace or is it drawing me further from Him? How about my kids? Youth sports and other activities are wonderful. But are we so over-scheduled that we spend every evening and weekend running to baseball tournaments, swim meets, and cheerleading competitions? Am I worshiping my kids rather than the One who gave His life for me? 

As some have said, anytime we take a good thing and make it a god thing it’s a bad thing. That’s idolatry in the 21st Century. That’s becoming “entangled in civilian pursuits” (v4). Don’t think that yours truly doesn’t have his issues here. And that’s just a sample of the stuff that can snarl us these days. Do I need to go on? Didn’t think so. I love how the writer of Hebrews restates this idea like a coach. Run life like a race and keep your eyes on “Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:1-2).

Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical.

We must avoid the trap of distraction by remembering Who’s in command. Paul reminds Pastor Tim how for each soldier “his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (v4). Just in case you didn’t know who that is, we’re talking about Jesus. This is where we could go into a long and involved discussion of whether you were drafted into the service (predestined) or enlisted (free will). Instead let’s just assume you’re a follower of Christ. In other words, you’re in His service. It doesn’t matter at this point how you got it. 

Our goal is to please our Commanding Officer. Our aim is to put a mile on the General’s face. First of all, you’re NOT trying to make God like you more or love you more deeply. He already does. That’s a done deal. What Paul is talking about here is making the most of moments we have here in this life. Our mission is to love God and love others. We worship Him by serving and sacrificing for others. Nothing makes our Leader happier than when we give of ourselves just as He gave for us (Jn 13:34-35).

Flash back to that conversation in “Saving Private Ryan.” Captain Miller has one final command for the young soldier. Paul does the same for Timothy. Keep this forefront no matter what you do. Stay focused on the mission because the mission is critical.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

“Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil” (1Tim 3:7).

Let’s cut to the chase. You can’t be a jerk at work, a bully at home, or the neighbor everyone hates and still have a shred of credibility as a spiritual leader. The folks at church may think you’re the greatest thing since Billy Graham but if your rep around town couldn’t get you elected dog catcher, Houston, we have a problem. 

Paul tells Timothy that when we’re looking for leaders inside the local church, we need to check on how candidates are seen by folks outside the church. “Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he might not fall into disgrace, into the snare of the devil” (v7). We need to remember that one of Satan’s favorite pastimes is taking down those in positions of spiritual influence. He especially loves it when leaders live schizophrenic lives. You see, how we live when we’re not at church matters. It matters a LOT! An overseer can’t be Dr. Jekyll on Sunday and go all Mr. Hyde the other six days of the week. The world is watching.

In his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul gives his protege important instructions on getting the Ephesian church out of the ditch and back on the road. A posse of false teachers hijacked the church for a period of time. Paul has already given the right foot of fellowship to Hymenaeus and Alexander out the front door (1Tim 1:20). Now that the apostle is on divine assignment in Macedonia, it’s up to Tim to finish cleaning up the mess these knuckleheads have left behind (1Tim 1:3-7). 

With the false teachers history, there’s a desperate need for new leaders. Paul gives Pastor Tim the qualifications for the new overseers (1Tim 3:1-7). Keep your eyes peeled for men of integrity. Guys who aren’t just scandal-free but scandal-proof. At home. At work. With clear eyes and a clear mind. Not addicted to any substance or activity. Not consumed by cash. And by no means, not a rookie believer. 

The apostle ends the list of qualifications with a potential leader’s image in the community. “He must be well thought of by outsiders” (v7). The Greek phrase is a little wonky when you try to translate it literally. You could say, “It is necessary also to have a good witness with those on the outside” (v7). The key term here in the original language is “witness (Gr. marturios)”. It comes from a verb that means to speak well of a person on the basis of personal experience. Think of a somebody you would use for a reference when looking for a job. Are they going to say nice things about you?

Paul tells Tim to specifically check with “outsiders” (Gr. exothen). This is an adverb that describes a place or location that’s not here. In this case, the apostle is talking about someone or on the outside looking in. Folks who aren’t part of the church family. People who aren’t followers of Jesus. When we’re looking for leaders for our spiritual family, we need to talk to more than just the people who attend. What’s the word on the street about person we’re considering for leadership of God’s people?

This doesn’t mean we go to unbelievers first. But once we have a candidate, a key part of the vetting process should include his rep around town. What’s the scouting report from his supervisors, coworkers, clients, customers, and vendors? Are they a hard worker? Are they fair? Honest? What’s the word in the ‘hood? Or more likely, what’s the buzz in the ‘burbs? Are they a good neighbor who’s having a positive impact on the folks around the cul-de-sac? And what do they do for fun? Are they “that guy” you hate to see coming on the softball diamond or soccer pitch? Is their foot wedge the best club in their bag when playing golf? 

An elder or overseer needs to have rock solid street cred. A spiritual leader needs to be a man of integrity both inside AND outside the church. You’ll blow it all if you don’t have integrity. A pastor is never off duty. He’s never out of his jurisdiction. His rep is on the line 24/7/365. Just to be clear, no follower of Jesus ever is. We HAVE to live what we believe! If not, I’ll not just DQ myself from any shot at being an elder but kiss goodbye any chance at sharing the story of my Savior with unbelievers. If the people who don’t know Christ think I’m a dirtbag, there’s zero chance they’ll be swinging by at Christmas or Easter if they know I’m there. We can’t be Dr. Jekyll on Sunday and go Mr. Hyde the other six days of the week.

Once again, Jesus gives us the perfect picture of integrity and great public reputation. As a matter of fact, His rep was particularly high among religious outsiders. The crowds loved Him. He welcomed sinners, tax collectors, hookers, and the disenfranchised into His audiences. Don’t miss the fact that the Rabbi/Carpenter had His biggest issues with the religious professionals. He continually called them on the carpet for their Dr. Jekyll image while being Mr. Hyde on the inside. Let’s just say the Pharisees and Sadducees wouldn’t make the cut according to what Paul has to say here in his letter to Timothy.

The apostle writes that these schizophrenic leadership candidates will eventually “fall into disgrace, into the snare of the devil” (v7). We just read how a rookie believer thrown into leadership too early will ready his own press clippings and end up like Satan after his unsuccessful overthrow of God (1Tim 3:6). The devil fell out of heaven when God threw him out! Here Paul says someone with a bad public reputation will face plant into shame. 

“Disgrace” is the Greek word oneidismos, which actually means verbal abuse and insults. The writer of Hebrews uses this term when tells us how Moses considered the trash talk he got for believing God would send Messiah better than the treasures of Egypt (Heb 11:26). In other words, you don’t want an overseer who’s seen as a spiritual superstar inside the church but slander as a sleaze bag by the public. 

This is exactly what Satan has planned. That’s why Paul calls it “the snare of the devil” (v7). The term “snare” (Gr. pagis) describes a trap or concealed danger. Ancient writers used it to describe the great sting of the Trojan Horse. Just like Admiral Akbar didn’t realize the Empire had set up the Rebel Alliance, we don’t see ambush coming either. And the original word carries the idea of being permanently entangled in a net. Once we tarnish our public reputation, there’s no going back. You can’t un-break the light bulb. There’s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube. 

We need to be well aware that Satan uses the suspicion of unbelievers to keep a jaundiced eye on church leaders. He must be up to something. He must be working some sort of angle. What’s he hiding? An elder or pastor must be an open book. The world is watching and waiting for you to fall on your face. Many don’t trust you. And why would they? We don’t have the space to list all of the very public scandals involving big name pastors. If one doesn’t come to mind, you can probably check your favorite news source in the morning. If an overseer has any hint of unconfessed and unrepented sin, our enemy will bait the hook with it. It will only be a matter of time. 

Folks around town should respect the elders of the church. Nobody in the community should be rolling their eyes when they find out this particular dude is a leader of a local congregation. You can’t act one way among believers and another way when doing business with nonbelievers. Are you the same person in public as you are in the pew, pulpit, or platform? You must have integrity and be the same no matter where you are or who you’re hanging out with. An elder can’t be Dr. Jekyll inside the church and Mr. Hyde outside.